Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans adhesion inhibited in a flow cell.
BACKGROUND
Microbial interactions are considered important in the adhesion process of pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity. This study addressed the hypothesis that a streptococcal biofilm influences the hard tissue colonization by the periodontopathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans under hydrodynamic conditions.


METHODS
The colonization of a green-fluorescent-protein-labelled A. actinomycetemcomitans strain on surfaces coated with a streptococcal biofilm, was monitored in real time using a confocal laser scanning microscope-mounted flow cell. Culture and quantitative polymerase chain reaction data were obtained in parallel from a Modified Robbins Device.


RESULTS
Colonization of A. actinomycetemcomitans was inhibited by the four tested streptococci (Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus cristatus, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus mitis). The most inhibiting species was S. sanguinis.


CONCLUSIONS
These results confirmed the hypothesis that some bacterial species influence A. actinomycetemcomitans colonization of hard surfaces in vitro under hydrodynamic conditions.
Sliepen
I
I
Catholic University Leuven, Research Group for Microbial Adhesion, Department of Periodontology, Leuven, Belgium.
Hofkens
J
J
Van Essche
M
M
Quirynen
M
M
Teughels
W
W
D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000502:physiology*; D000898:Antibiosis; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000502:physiology*